heraldryofyorkmi01custuoft

VALENCE. 331
"time was seen the like preparation, pride, and cost in the time of warre."
In all
100,000 men confident of an easy victory.
Bruce, equally determined, though with a far smaller force, 30,000 in
all, was besieging Stirling, whose governor, Philip de Mowbray, had at
last promised to capitulate, if, before a certain day, he were not relieved
"And they took terms of truce
If England's King should not relieve
The siege ere John the Baptist's eve,
To yield them to the Bruce." *
Bruce, therefore,
awaited Edward's arrival there, and chose the field
of battle, with all the skill and prudence imaginable, at Bannockburn,
about two miles distant. On his right flank he had a hill, on his left a
morass called "Halberd's bog;'' in front a rivulet, the "Bannock-burn;"
and along the banks deep pits were dug and sharp stakes planted in them
carefully covered over with brushwood and turf. The standard he pitched
in a stone having a round hole for its reception, thence called the " Bore
"stone," fragments of which, carefully fenced with iron rails, still remain
on the top of the small eminence called "Brocks Brae," to the southwest
of St. Ninian's.
On the evening of June 3rd, 1314, the English army arrived at the
ground, and immediately Sir Robert Clifford, with a body of 800 horsemen,
endeavoured to make a flank movement through the low grounds, and
throw themselves into Stirling Castle. They had nearly succeeded, when
they were seen by the quick eye of Bruce, who angrily exclaimed to
Randolph, "Thoughtless man, you have suffered the enemy to pass;" and
the trusty lieutenant immediately dashed forward with his men to repair
his fault or perish. As he advanced, the English cavalry wheeled to attack
him, but he drew up his troops in a circular form, with their spears resting
on the ground and protruding on every side. At the first onset, Sir William
d'Eyncourt, an English commander, was slain, but the English, superior in
numbers, hemmed in the Scots on every side.
Douglas, seeing the jeopardy,
earnestly besought Bruce to let him go to their relief. "You shall not
" move from .your ground," said the "
;
King let Randolph extricate himself
" as best he may. I will not alter my line of battle, and lose the advantage
" of my position." But the impetuous Douglas was not to be gainsaid, and
wringing a reluctant consent from Bruce, he galloped off, only, however, to
find that the English were already falling into disorder, and that the
stubborn perseverance of Randolph had prevailed over their impetuous
courage. "Halt!" he cried; "those brave men have repulsed the enemy.
" Let us not diminish their glory by sharing it."
* Lord of the Isles, canto vi., 4.